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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Alqidwa's remarks to Security Council on Action Group for Syria

DEPUTY
JOINT SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE LEAGUE OF ARAB
STATES FOR SYRIA NASSER AL KIDWA

REMARKS
TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN SYRIA

New
York, 26 June 2012

Mr.
President, Members of the Council, Mr. Ladsous, Mr. Pascoe,

1.
Mr. President, when the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and
the League of Arab States addressed you just over two Weeks ago, he
spoke of devastating and increasing violence in Syria, and of the
need for the international community to do more to stop the killing,
apply joint pressure on the parties and consequences for
noncompliance, and do more to chart the course for a peaceful
Syrian-led transition in the country. The UN Secretary~General also
told the General Assembly at the time that each day brings new
additions to the grim catalogue of atrocities, including assaults
against civilians, brutal human rights violations, mass arrests,
torture and execution-style killings.

2.
Tragically, the situation on the ground has not improved. Indeed, the
killing and destruction and attacks by government forces, including
through the use of artillery, heavy shelling and government
helicopters, are intensifying. More civilians, men Women and
children, are being killed every day. It has been reported that
civilian casualties in June have been among the highest since April.
At the same time, We have seen an increased scale of asymmetric
attacks by opposition forces across Syria, targeting infrastructure,
installations and senior officials of Syrian Armed Forces.

3.
Civilian areas continue to be shelled, and civilians continue to be
trapped line of fire, despite the legal and moral obligation to keep
them out of harm’s Way. The latest attempts by UNSMIS, the Syrian
Arab Red Crescent and the ICRC to evacuate children, women and
elderly from Homs have regrettably not yet succeeded. More civilians
are being displaced from their neighbourhoods, hamlets and villages
every day. It is the Government that has the primary responsibility
to civilian populations to protect them from all forms of violence
and this responsibility is not being met. The armed opposition also
must respect the obligation to protect civilians in areas of
fighting.

4.
As you know, up to one and a half million people are in need of
urgent humanitarian assistance. Despite the conclusion of an
agreement with the government, and some deliveries under difficult
circumstances, there has been no substantial improvement in the
humanitarian situation. Assistance continues to be complicated by the
context of intensified violence as Well as the government’s
policies in this regard. We also see the continuing military
occupation of hospitals and health facilities preventing access to
medical treatment for those in need. In addition, in the recent days
a volunteer for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Was shot and killed in
Deir Ezzor, bringing the death toll of the Red Crescent while on duty
to four since last September.

5.
Beyond support for urgent humanitarian needs, neighborhoods in many
Syrian cities have to be rebuilt, and infrastructure has to be
reconstructed.

6.
We are all deeply worried about the escalating crisis. The six-point
plan is clearly not being implemented. People, including peaceful
protesters and activists, continue to be arbitrarily detained, and
more are rounded up by the day. Clearly, there is no political
dialogue; rather, We have seen increasing militarization and
sectarianism.

7.
Serious concerns remain about the regional ramifications of the
Syrian crisis. There are now more than 92,000 assisted refugees in
neighbouring countries, of whom 86,000 are registered with UNHCR. In
a very concerning development that further highlights the heightened
regional tensions, it has been reported that the Syrian forces downed
a Turkish military jet on 22 June. As you know, the
Secretary-General, who spoke to the Turkish Foreign Minister, has
expressed his deep concern and urged Turkey and Syria to continue to
address the situation diplomatically.

Mr.
President,

8.
We all know that since the last briefing, UNSMIS has had to suspend
operations in light of the escalating violence and dangers to its
security. The Joint Special Envoy fully supports that decision. We
all commend General Mood and the brave men and women, both military
and civilian, serving under him, and I know that they are keen to
resume their work. Their commitment to the Syrian people has not
faltered. But the circumstances must allow them to carry out their
mandate. This can only happen when the protagonists on the ground
take the strategic decision to stop the violence and to cooperate
fully with the observers.

9.
The UN Secretary-General will soon present his report on the
implementation of Security Council resolution 2043 and the mandate of
UNSMIS, and then it will be for the Council to decide Whether and how
the mandate will be extended. The evolution of the political track
will of course be a key consideration in this regard.

Mr.
President,

10.
A key to unlocking the crisis is international unity. To this end,
the Joint Special Envoy and the team have been working intensively to
convene a group of countries with influence over the parties in Syria
to agree on a set of actions to address the crisis. The intention is
to hold a ministerial meeting of an Action Group for Syria this
coming Saturday, 30 June, in Geneva. The objectives would be three
principal outcomes, which are essential and interrelated: first, to
identify steps and measures to secure full implementation of the six
point plan and Security Council resolutions 2042 and 2043,including
an immediate cessation of violence in all its forms; second, to agree
on guidelines and principles for a political transition that meets
the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people; and third, to agree
on actions to implement these objectives in support of the Envoy's
efforts to facilitate a Syrian - led political process.

11.
We have worked hard in a series of bilateral conversations, as Well
as meetings with key actors, to bring this idea to fruition. We also
hosted a meeting this past Saturday involving senior officials of the
permanent members of the Council, as well as of the League of Arab
States, in preparation for the possible meeting. This included
consideration of language related to an outcome document.

12.
Throughout these discussions, the Joint Special Envoy has made it
clear that it is essential for states with influence to agree among
themselves on a set of principles and guidelines in order to
effectively support a Syrian-led political transition. The Envoy is
of course using his best efforts to facilitate a common position on
the proposed outcomes of the Action Group. But he has also been
steadfast in his resolve that an action group must be just that, and
not a talking-shop. The Joint Special Envoy has made it clear that it
is only worth holding this meeting on 30 June if the outcome is
meaningful.

13.
We appreciate the support this idea has received from the UN
Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, as
well as international partners. Concerted action by the participants
in such a meeting should have a visible impact on the crisis. The
inclusion of the permanent members of the Council should also be an
important contribution to maintaining unity Within the Council and
may even facilitate further action by it, in response to the Joint
Special Envoy’s appeals when he briefed you in person on 7 June. We
are awaiting clarity today on whether there is sufficient substantive
agreement as well as consensus on the scope of participation before
the Envoy decides whether the meeting should proceed on the 30th as
planned.

Mr.
President,

14.
Since the last briefing to the Council our Office has also maintained
regular contact with the Syrian government, opposition and other
actors in Syria and internationally. The opposition continues to face
serious challenges, politically and organizationally, but some
progress appears to have been made in the last two weeks.

15.
A member of the joined some of the key Syrian opposition
representatives when they met in Istanbul, Turkey on 15 June. The
meeting included a wide range of opposition representatives based
outside Syria, as well as some opposition members who are currently
based in Syria. Participants nominated a l5-member technical
committee to prepare a consolidated joint political vision for the
opposition and the coordination of their Work. This will be discussed
at a meeting at the Arab League on 2-3 July which will include an
even larger grouping of opposition members, ahead of the planned
Friends of Syria meeting in Paris on 6 July. Increased coordination
and unity among groups of theopposition
on such key issues is of course positive, and we will continue to
follow and support their efforts as appropriate in line with our
mandate.

Mr.
President,

16.
We hope that the international community and the Security Council
will now come together and take action to stop the killing, help the
suffering population, and ensure that the crisis does not spread
further to the neighbours in the World’s most volatile region.

17.
Mr. President, this Council has already decided in resolutions 2042
and 2043 that the international community is committed to
facilitating a Syrian-led political transition that will lead to a
democratic, plural political system in which citizens are equal
regardless of their affiliations, ethnicities or beliefs, including
through commencing a comprehensive political dialogue between the
Syrian Government and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition. I
am hopeful that an Action Group for Syria can be convened to take
meaningful steps to support this process. If we can reach agreement
on a substantive statement, including specific measures that key
international actors are committed to, it may help the Syrian people
believe that peaceful transition is possible and that they should
step back from violence and Work towards a comprehensive settlement
agreement to end the crisis. The Office of the Joint Special Envoy is
committed to doing all it can to facilitate such a process. But we
cannot do it without your full and united support, and time is
running out.